As explained in books including Our Stolen Future, Dying from Dioxin, and "The Endometriosis Sourcebook", scientists have come to the realization that certain chemical compounds, such as dioxin, have profound immunological and reproductive impacts at exposures far below the level known to cause cancer. These chemicals are known as endocrine disruptors and can mimic hormones and interfere with many physiological processes. Scientists are still researching the mechanisms that are used, but they already know that these man-made chemicals persist in the body for years. PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls) are a group of dioxin-like chemicals that were used in industry until they were banned in the 1970s. Some PCBs persist in the environment for more than one hundred years.

I expect that one day everything that's wrong with me that's not strictly due to the aging process will be proven to have be…

I know I've promised to follow up on all kinds of things here in my trusty blog. And I intend to do so. Eventually. But I have just been invited to host an online seminar (webinar?) during the National Invisible Chronic Illness Awareness Week Conference. And guess what subject they want me to pontificate upon? "Blogging About Your Illness"!!! Isn't that just perfect? I'm going to take this as a sign that it's time to get back to the point of this blog (which is the invisible chronic illness experience, in case you've forgotten with all of my fun wanderings lately).

Information about scheduling for the Conference will be posted here as it becomes available.

I could not move without feeling pain somewhere (or everywhere) after our Live Earth Concert Watching Party (more on this FM phenomenon later). So I'm just now getting to continue this thread on the Live Earth events.

Our party went well. I think fun was had by all, good food was eaten, good drinks were drank, no one got drunk, and we learned a little bit about our environment too.

I think the whole concert organization and communication to the world (my part of it anyway) was and is phenomenal! Today, a mere four days after the event, we can point and click and apparently watch and listen to anything from the whole 24 hour world-wide event. Incredible.

So my cousin Matt Johnson is a boat captain and eco tour guide in south Florida. Here's what he says about the Live Earth Concerts and the believability of the concept of global warming: ...And, if anyone has Sirius satellite radio there are three or more stations that will be covering events including some concerts world wide. The "Discovery" channel (#116, I think??) seems to be Live Earth central through the holiday weekend. No doubt about climate change for me... I've been working the Coastal Everglades for years, a place more tuned to sea and climate than most and there are changes happening, things that old timers have never seen or heard of. Subtle changes, not even note worthy to casual observer but changes still. Water (tide) levels, new plants appearing, old plants dying, weather patterns that have been the same every year for generations shifting, fish & crab movements, you name it! Yes all of this happens naturally with time, just seem to be in a b…